Onchan Parish Hall is ‘The Big Draw’ for students this week

The world’s biggest celebration of drawing – The Big Draw – arrives in the Isle of Man this half-term with a workshop hosted by Isle of Architecture at Onchan Parish Hall on Thursday 27 October. Led by well-known arts educator Kirsten Penzes, the full day workshop, which is open to primary and secondary school students, will develop this year’s Big Draw theme of ‘Steam’ – Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Maths – to show that creativity and innovation go hand in hand.

Kirsten will encourage young artists, designers, future architects and aspiring engineers to use historic and current photographs of the architectural landscapes of the Isle of Man and explore where the future will take them and what it might hold. The workshop will encourage participants to think about the buildings around them and to draw on a range of creative techniques and materials some of which will be familiar, others less so, in their work. And, in keeping with the ‘Steam’ theme, Kirsten will also introduce electrical circuits, powered toys and i-stop motion to inspire students to experiment and to create a short animated film.

The much loved and admired Onchan Parish Hall was designed by renowned Arts & Crafts movement architect Mackay Hugh Baillie Scott who embraced the new ideas and new technologies of the late 19th century, making the hall an ideal home for this collaboration between Isle of Architecture and The Big Draw. The Island’s Primary Schools are also being encouraged to take part in The Big Draw, with pupils of all primary school classes being given the opportunity to draw their favourite buildings or architectural features, with the optional extra of having their drawings entered into an Isle of Architecture event and competition at the end of the 2016/17 academic year.

If you or your children are interesting in being part of The Big Draw Workshop, which runs from 10am – 3pm on Thursday 27 October, you can still book a place through Eventbrite on the Isle of Architecture Facebook page www.facebook.com/isleofarchitecture/events or contact sam@comerevel.com for more information. The cost of £27 per student includes all materials, drinks and snacks but students should bring a packed lunch. Cash payments can also be taken on the day.